Acoustical-to-optical image converter

Claim 1

A SYSTEM FOR DERIVING AN OPTICAL IMAGE VARYING IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN ACOUSTICAL SIGNAL COMPRISING: (A) A VIBRATORY ELEMENT FOR RECEIVING SAID ACOUSTICAL SIGNAL AND PRODUCING LOCAL SURFACE PERTUBATIONS IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH; (B) AN OPTICALLY POLISHED LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACE ON SAID VIBRATORY ELEMENT; (C) MEANS FOR DIRECTING A COLLIMATED BEAM OF MONOCHROMATIC LIGHT UPON SAID OPTICALLY POLISHED LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACE; (D) MEANS FOR DERIVING AN OPTICAL IAMGE OF SAID COLLIMATED LIGHT BEAM AS REFLECTED BY SAID REFLECTING SURFACE, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING; (E) AN OPTICAL FLAT PLACED WITHIN THE PATH OF SAID COLLIMATED LIGHT BEAM AND PARALLEL TO SAID LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACE; AND (F) MEANS FOR SPACING SAID OPTICAL FLAT FROM SAID LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACE A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO CAUSE OPTICAL INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE COLLIMATED LIGHT BEAM PASSING THROUGH SAID OPTICAL FLAT AND THE LIGHT REFLECTED BY SAID REFLECTING SURFACE; (G) SAID MEANS FOR SPACING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SELECTIVELY EXPANSIBLE SPACING MEMBERS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID OPTICAL FLAT AND SAID LIGHT REFLECTING SURFACE; AND (H) MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY EXPANDING SAID CONTRACTING SAID SPACING MEMBERS.